Sheet feeding apparatus for copy machine

ABSTRACT

A copy machine with a pair of feed-in rollers for feeding, in superposed relation, a sensitized copy sheet and an original document to be copied into the machine. A pair of manually operable switches at either end of the feed-in portion of the machine are present to allow the speed of rotation of the feed-in rollers to be reduced when either switch is actuated. The reduction in speed allows an operator to manipulate the copy sheet and original more easily for purposes of aligning the two sheets as they enter the rollers. The rotation of the rollers is restored to the original speed by activating either of the switches.

United States Patent [1 1 Zawiski et al.

[54] SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS FOR COPY MACHINE [75] Inventors: Robert F. Zawiski, Lincolnwood; I

Albert A. Crider, Palatine; Stephen Ernohazy, Mount Prospect, all of ill.

[73] Assignee: Addressograph-Multigraph I Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio [22] Filed: Apr. 11, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 350,239

[52] U.S. Cl 271/270, 271/263, 271/273 [51] Int. Cl B65h 5/06 [58] Field of Search 27l/57, 56, 51',- 53, 47,

271 IDIG. 9; 209/1310. 2; 198/167; 6 8/269, c, 253 B; 29/121 H, 115; 192/127, 130,15/159 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,196,741 4/1940 Schubert 271 57 x 2,362,238 11 1944 Black et al 192/130 x lV lll A copy machine with a pair of feed-in rollers for feed- [451 Sept. 3, 1974 7/1957 .10/l964 9/1965 11/1965 9/l97l Primary Exdminer-Ev0n C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Bruce H. Stoner, Jr.

ABSTRACT ing, in superposedrelation, a sensitized copy sheet and an original document to be copied into the machine. A pair of manually operable switches at either end of the feed-in portion of the machine are present to allow the speed of rotation of the feed-in rollers to be reduced when either switch is actuated. The reduction in speed allows an operator to manipulate the copy sheet and original more easily for purposes of aligning the two sheets as they enter the rollers. The rotation of the rollers is restored to the original speed by activating either of the switches.-

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures lllllilllll PAIENTED 31974 3.833.214

SHEET 2 OF 3 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS FOR COPY MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION tracing with the underlying copy sheet, while being careful to avoid a turned-over corner or wrinkling of the tracing, during insertion of the sheets into the nip of the feed rollers.

Heretofore, once the lead edges of the sheets were gripped by the feed-in rollers and fed into the machine, no further realignment of the sheets could be effected during the feeding operation if the sheets were misaligned unless, of course, by reversing the machine drive, if the machine were so equipped, withdrawing the sheets and starting fresh.

Also, because the machine operators hands are close to the feed rollers when feeding curled sheets; there is a danger of getting fingers caught in the feed rollers. Other foreign objects such as shears, rulers andthe like might also accidentally be passed between the rollers causing downtime and possible damage to the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a simple and yet effective sheet feed apparatus for feed-in of superposed sheets. The apparatus includes an upper roller of a pair of feed-in rollers having a soft and quite resilient covering, e.g., nylon bristles, to permit manual alignment and manipulation of the sheets after the sheets have been gripped by the rollers and during advancement of the sheets into the copying machine. The bristles act as fingers and have an uncurling effect on the top sheet of the superposed sheets being fed. Further, the apparatus provides for raising the soft feed-in roller in response to any foreign object attempting to pass between the rollers and at the same time reducing the sp'eedand reversing the direction of. machine drive inflresponse to the soft upper feed-in roller being movedto its raised position. The machine continues in such a slow mode condition and reverse direction drive until a forward direction, normal. speed button is manually depressed.

It is a primary object of thepresent invention to provide a new and improved sheet feed-in apparatus for feeding curled, crimped and uneven tracings into a copying machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sheet feed-in apparatus for use in contact type photocopying machines, wherein the feed-in roller in contact engagement with the original is provided with a soft covering of urethane foam or nylon bristles to provide a wiping, uncurling action to rolled originals while allowing proper alignment of the original and copy sheets.

Another object isto provide a circuit control so that the operator may select a slow mode of operation during a copy-making cycle, in which the machine speed was set for a particular exposure in order to carry out a feeding operation and restore the machine speed to its preset copying speed and continue the cycle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of feed rollers in which the soft feed roller of the pair is mounted for floating action to permit movement of the soft roller to a raised position outof engagement with the other roller of the pair in response to the machine operators fingers entering the roller nip beyond a safe distance, or by contact of the soft roller by a foreign object attempting to be passed between the roller pair. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch means, actuable by the soft roller when moved to its raised position, for reversing the direction of rotation of the feed-in rollers and reducing the speed thereof to prevent the grasping of a foreign object by the feed-in rollers and possible passing of the object through the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide pluralswitch means conveniently adjacent to the feed area of a photocopy machine for allowing operator intervention for reducing the normal feeding speed to a preset slow mode operation. I

Other objects, features and advantages will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diazotype copying machine such as used in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, partially broken away, of the copying machine embodying a sheet feeding apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the sheet feeding assembly showing in detail the mounting and drive arrangement of the feed rollers;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 showing a control means for actuating the machine drive for reverse direction and slow mode operation;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of the control means of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 3 showing an end elevation'of a pair of feed-in rollers; I

FIG. 7 is. an enlarged section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 3 showing a front elevation of the feed-in rollers of FIG. 6; a

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of portions of the copying machine relevant to the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the feed-in rollers exemplifying the insertion of an operators hand between them.

3 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The photocopy machine of the disclosed embodiment is shown generally by the reference numeral ent to operate the machine in a slow mode.

A control panel 106 is located at the top of the machine 100. This panel includes controls for carrying out such functions as power on, speed control, ammonia on and lamp control. Of particular importance is a switch 108 for changing the direction of the feed drive. This switch 108 causes the machine to run forward or reverse on operator demand.

After the superposed copy and original have been fed through the machine and the copying process is complete, the original will reappear at an original sheet receiving tray 110. When the copy has been'produced, the reproduced copy will appear at a print receiving tray 112.

As shown in FIG. 2, the copying machine comprises an enclosure for sensitized copy paper'P inroll form, the feed board 12 for supporting the copy paper and the original to be fed into the machine and the sheet feeding apparatus indicated generally by the reference character 14. a

The sheet feeding apparatus '14 advances the superposed copy and the original to a belt transport '16 '(FIG. 2) which carries the sheets through an exposure station 18. Upon exiting from the exposure station 18, the sheets are separatedand the original is discharged from the machine to the tray 110 and the exposed copy'sheet is directed through a developer station and then discharged frorn'the machine to the tray 112.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and .3, the sheet feeding apparatus 14 includes an entrywayv and an exitway 22 for receiving and directing, respectively, superposed sheets for transport into the machine proper. The feedin rollers indicated generally by the reference numeral 24 are provided adjacent the entryway 20 and exit-feed rollers indicated generally by the reference numeral 26 are provided adjacent the exitway 22.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the feed-in rollers 24 comprise a plurality of rollers 30 axially spaced on a free floating upper shaft 32 and a plurality of plastic tires 34 axially spaced on a lower shaft 36. Each of the feed-in rollers 30 is provided with a pair of plastic tires 31 and 33, one at each end, keyed at 35 to a tube spacer 37 and locked to the shaft 32 as with set screws 39. Each of the plastic tires 31 and 33 is in alignment and contact engagement with a correspondingone of the plastic tires 34, secured on the shaft '36 and projecting upwardly through a suitable opening provided in a lower guide plate 41 (FIG. 2), so as to provide a plurality of cooperating pairs of feed-in rollers 30 and 34.

The exit-feed rollers 26 include a plurality of rollers 40 axially spaced and secured on a shaft 42 and a plurality of rollers 44 axially spaced and secured on a shaft 46 in alignment'and contact engagement with corresponding rollers 40 on the shaft 42, thereby providing a plurality of cooperating pairs of feed rollers 40 and 44.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shaft 42'carrying the rollers 40 is rotatably supported in end bearings 45 and 47 affixed to side plates 48 and 50 respectively, The lower feed roller shaft46 is mounted in a similar manner and is rotatably supported in end bearings 52, only one bearing being shown in FIG. 2. The lower feed roller shaft 46 is power driven in the direction-of arrow A shown in'FIG. 2, by atiinirig" belt (not shown in the drawing) driving'ly connecting the shaft 46 with a drive shaft 54. Another'timiiig belt (not shown) transmits drive from the shaft 46to' the shaft36 carrying the tires 34. 3 1 I With reference toFIG. 3, the upper feed roller shafts 32 and 42 are driven in timedlrelati'on by a pair of timing belts 58 and 60. Thus, although the feed rollers 30 and 40 are frictionally driven by the power driven tires 34 and the rollers 44 respectively, the belts 58 and 60 provide continuous rotation to the rollers 30 when the rollers 30 and 34 are out of contact engagement as a result of the sheets being fed into the nip of the feed-in rollers 30 and the tires 34. The continuous rotation of ,the rollers 30 provides a wiping, uncurling and guiding means when inserting'originals having rolled, frayed or torn leading edges into the nip of the rollers.

The rollers 40 and 44 are provided with a continuous smooth surface of rubber or like material or, as in the case of the tires 31, 33 and 34, they may be plastic molded rollers. However, the feed-in rollers 30 are differently constructed to provide proper and efficient wiping and uncurling functions. The specific construc tion of these feed-in rollers is more fully disclosed and claimed in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 350,240, filed on Apr. 11, 1973 by Robert F. Zawiski, and entitled Sheet Feeding Apparatus for Copying Machines.

One approach to providing a suitable covering on the feed-in rollers 30 is to utilize an urethane foam filler sleeve cemented to the tube spacer 37 positioned between the plastic tires 31 and 33 to afiord a soft cylindrical roller component. The foam sleeve is slightly smaller in diameter than the plastic tires 31 and 33 so as not to touch the pencil lines or other imaging material on the originals and cause smearing of the images as the sheets are fed into the machine.

Although urethane foam covered feed-in rollers have been found to work satisfactorily in actual practice, the preferred form of feed-in roller of the present invention is a roller brush configuration as shown in FIGS. 6 and Thus, the core '61 of the feed-in roller 30 shown in FIG. 6 may be of a high impact polystyrene material provided on its periphery with a plurality of projecting tufts 62 of nylon strands or bristles each strand being approximately 0.004 inch diameter, to thereby provide a brush surface. The bristle-like formations are dispersed in a helical formation relative to the axis of rotation of the roller 30. In an adjusted feeding position, the feed-in rollers are set so that the brushes are positioned from a minimum line to line contact to a maximum one-sixteenth inch interference with an original document being fed. The roller brushes provide a wiping, uncurling action to the original with only minimal point contact of the bristles with the image to avoid any smearing of the image on the original. Further, the roller brushes effectively act against the original while permitting the machine operator during a feeding operation to pull-back, hold, and align the original and the copy sheet at will through the slippage afforded by the cooperating pairs of plastic tires such as 31, 34 and 33, 34. Thus, while the feed-in rollers of each roller pair cooperate in a substantially positive driving relationship when rotated in a sheet feeding direction to grasp and advance the original and the copy sheet, the roller pairs also afford a slipping or overriding action to permit the machine operator to manipulate the, sheets during a feeding operation. This positive but slippable arrangement of the cooperating roller pairs will be referred to hereinafter as cooperating positive but overridable feed members".

With reference now to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a control means 64 for reversing the direction of rotation and reducing the speed of thefeed-in rollers from .erator or through the inadvertent feeding into the rollers of a foreign object.

The control means 64 is provided at each end of the upper floating shaft 32. Because the control means are the same in operation and construction, only one will be described hereinafter.

The end of the shaft 32 is rotatably supported in a bushing 66 mounted in a block 68. The block 68 is secured to the side plate 48 and the bushing 66 is retained against endwise movement by a lock ring 70. Additionally, the periphery of the bushing 66 is provided with a pair of opposed flats 72 and 74 for positioning the bushing 66 for vertical movement within a channel 76 of the block 68.

Also mounted on the side plate 48 is a micro-switch 80 having a plunger 82 in line with the bushing 66.

Hence, anytime feed-in rollers 30 are raised either by the operators fingers passing under the rollers beyond a safe distance during a feeding operation, or by a foreign object, the bushing 66 is also raised and acts against the plunger 82 to actuate the switch 80.

A separate switch 80 and 80' is provided at each end of the shaft 32 so that either end of the shaft 32 carrying the feed-in rollers 30 may be tilted when the feed-in rollers are raised to thereby move either of the bushings 66 to a position to actuate a respective switch 80 or 80.

From the above description, it.will be appreciated that the soft upper rollers greatly facilitate the feeding of curled and wrinkled originals without imposing any hazards to the machine operator insofar as the operators fingers being caught in the feed-in rollers.

Thus, the operators fingers may be inserted under the soft rollers as shown in FIG. 9 to hold down the curled leading edge of the original until the original and the copy sheet are gripped by the rollers and fed into the machine. Thereafter, the nylon bristles act against the original document to. provide a smoothing action thereto to avoid curling, wrinkling, creasing or uneven feeding of the superposed original and copy sheet.

Because of the soft bristles on the upper roller, the operators fingers are not exposed to any danger so long as the fingers are not inserted beyond a safe distance. However, if the fingers should be inserted too far under the rollers, the rollers will be raised and cause the machine to drive the rollers in reverse direction in a slow mode feed to avoid injury to the operator.

In place of the feed-in rollers, one or more belt drives may be used to feed the superposed copy sheet and original. The belt surface should be compliant to allow an operators hand to be inserted between the feed members. As in the case of the urethane foam or tufted nylon bristle roller, the belt separates from the remaining feed member. upon physical intervention. The

armature 136 of the motor is likewise connected to power through a full wave rectifier 138. However, the armature connection is made through contact sets 141-1, 141-2 and 141-3, 141-4 of a latching relay 141 which may be utilized to reverse the voltage polarity of the power and cause the motor 130 to reverse direction.

Depressing either of the feed board switches 102 or 104 (FIG. 1) results in a relay 144 being energized. The switches 102, and 104 are two position switches such that the relay 144 remains energized until one of the switches is again depressed. These switches operate the slow mode portion of the machine which allows the superposed copy and original to be started into the machine at a slower speed than the normal forward speed. Such a mode is desirable to permit proper alignment of the copy and original as they are fed into the feed rollers 24 of the machine.

A variable drive speed transformer 146 is connected across the AC power. This transformer supplies power to the rectifier 138 and to the armature 136 of the motor 130. A wiper 148 on the transformer 146 allows the voltage, and, therefore, the speed of the motor 130, to be adjusted to any value within the range of the transformer. Control of the wiper 148 is accessible at the machine control panel 106. The lead from the wiper 148 contains a fuse 150 to protect the transformer against overload. This wiper lead is then routed through two sets of relay contacts 141-5, 141-6 and 144-1, 144-2. Under normal operating conditions, i.e., forward, normal speed sheet movement, the relay contacts 141-5 and 144-1 are closed and cause the wiper 148 to be connected to the rectifier 138 and to the armature 136. Either the relay contacts 141-6 (through contacts 144-l) or relay contacts 144-2, when closed, may alternativelyconnect the rectifier 138 to a fixed transformer output 152. This fixed transformer output connection results in slower speed of the motor 130 for slow mode and reverse operation.

In the slow mode operation of the machine, when either feed board switch 102 or 104 (FIG. 1) is depressed, relay 144 is energized and the normally open relay contact 144-2 closes and switches the rectifier 138 connection from the wiper 148 to the fixed output 152. This reduces the voltage across the armature 136 and thus the speed of the motor 130.

The direction in which the copy machine feeds a superposed copy and original is determined by the latching relay 141 having latching coil 142 and release coil 140. Energizing coil 142 moves the relay contacts to forward position'and latches them. Energizing coil releases the latch and permits the relay contacts to return to reverse position.

- Under normal operating conditions the copy machine 100 is conditioned to feed in a forward direction at a normal speed as set at the control panel 106 with the relay 141 latched in its forward state, in which the relay contacts 141-1 and 141-3 are latched closed. Thus, the voltage from the rectifier 138 will be in a forward direction across the armature 136 of the motor 130. The relay contact 141-5 is closed, connecting the input of the rectifier 138 to the wiper 148 of the transformer 146 for normal, full speed feeding. Relay contacts 141-7 are in a closed state in order to condition the circuit so that the copy machine may be subse quently reversed by depressing the push button direction switch 108.

roller ends are lifted by any article large enough to raise the roller. Depression of the direction switch 108 on the control panel 106 also causes the machine to reverse. This may be desirable if for any reason the superposed copy and original require removal from the machine once feeding has started.

When either of the microswitches 80 or 80' is activated by upward movement of the feed-in rollers 30, power is connected to the release coil 140. Upon energization of the coil 140 the contactfsets 141-1, 141-2 and l41-3, 141-4 change states. This results in the voltage across the motor armature 136 being reversed. Also the contact set 141-5, 141-6 changes states resulting in the power to the rectifier 138 input being connected to the fixed transformer output 152 rather than to the wiper 148. This results in the voltage supplied to the armature 136 being the low speed value for slow mode operation. Thus, the operator is allowed to make adjustments in the alignment, etc., of the superposed copy and the original. Also, the relay contact set 141-8 changes states, i.e., closes, to condition the circuit so that the forward or latching coil 142 may be subsequently energized when the direction switch 108 on the control panel 106 is depressed.

The motor 130 will continue to run at a slow speed and in reverse direction after either microswitch 80 or 80' is activated until the direction switch 108 is depressed. At such a time, the forward coil 142 is energized unlatching the relay 141 and all contacts return to their initial described positions. That is relay contact sets 141-1, 141-2 and 141-3, 141-4 reverse'causing the motor to run forward once again. Relay contact set 141-5, 141-6 also changes and thus returns the speed of the motor 130 to the normal preselected speed according to the; transformer wiper 148. The relay contacts 141-7 change state, i.e., closes, to again condition the circuit for subsequent energization of coil 140 through activation of the direction switch 108. Likewise, the relay contacts 141-8 are caused to open so that the energization of the forward coil 142 by the switch 108 is prevented.

Referring now to operation of the reversal and restoring action solely by the manual switch 108, with the motor 130 running in the forward direction, the direction switch 108 may be depressed to cause the copy machine to reverse the feed direction. Energization of the reverse coil 140 is through relay contacts 141-7, which are closed. The reversing of the motor 130 occurs in the same way as described above when either of the microswitches 80 or 80', is activated by upward movement of the feed-in rollers 30. The motor runs at the fixed slow speed in reverse. This reverse running will continue until the direction switch 108 is again activated. At this time the copy machine will return to the preselected forward speed, and this occurs in the same manner as described in the immediately preceding paragraph.

What is claimed is 1. A sheet feed-in apparatus for feeding a superposed sensitized copy and an original into a copying machine, comprising:

a pair of cooperating positive but overridable feed members at least one of which is rotatably driven;

a feed board for supporting the copy and the original to be fed to the feed members for transport through the copying machine; I

power means connected with the feed member and energizable in alternate modes, namely in a first mode to drive the driven feed member at a normal sheet feeding velocity in normal sheet feeding direction, and a second mode to drive the feed member at a predetermined reduced velocity in normal sheet feeding direction; and

circuit means for controlling the power means including plural switch means on the feed board at 'points remote from each other so as to be convenient to the operators various hand positions as he guides sheets into contact with the feed members, said circuit means being so organized that actuation of any one of the switch means will shift the power means from either mode in which it is currently operating to the alternate mode.

2. A sheet feed-in apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the power means is also energizable in a third mode to drive the driven feed member in a direction opposite to the normal sheet feeding direction at a predetermined reduced velocity, and in which there is provided additional circuit means including a first control switch for shifting the power means alternately into the third mode and back into either the first or second mode as determined by the switch means.

3. A sheet feed-in apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which further includes mounting means for supporting one of the feed members for movement between a first position in contact feeding engagement with the original, and a second position spaced from the original by a foreign object attempting to pass between the feed members, and in which there is provided a second control switch and associated circuit means for shifting the power means from either the first or second mode into the third mode and maintaining it in the third mode until otherwise restored, said second control switch being actuable in response to movement of the one feed member from the first to the second position. 

1. A sheet feed-in apparatus for feeding a superposed sensitized copy and an original into a copying machine, comprising: a pair of cooperating positive but overridable feed members at least one of which is rotatably driven; a feed board for supporting the copy and the original to be fed to the feed members for transport through the copying machine; power means connected with the feed member and energizable in alternate modes, namely in a first mode to drive the driven feed member at a normal sheet feeding velocity in normal sheet feeding direction, and a second mode to drive the feed member at a predetermined reduced velocity in normal sheet feeding direction; and circuit means for controlling the power means including plural switch means on the feed board at points remote from each other so as to be convenient to the operator''s various hand positions as he guides sheets into contact with the feed members, said circuit means being so organized that actuation of any one of the switch means will shift the power means from either mode in which it is currently operating to the alternate mode.
 2. A sheet feed-in apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the power means is also energizable in a third mode to drive the driven feed member in a direction opposite to the normal sheet feeding direction at a predetermined reduced velocity, and in which there is provided additional circuit means including a first control switch for shifting the power means alternately into the third mode and back into either the first or second mode as determined by the switch means.
 3. A sheet feed-in apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which further includes mounting means for supporting one of the feed members for movement between a first position in contact feeding engagement with the original, and a second position spaced from the original by a foreign object attempting to pass between the feed members, and in which there is provided a second control switch and associated circuit means for shifting the power means from either the first or second mode into the third mode and maintaining it in the third mode until otherwise restored, said second control switch being actuable in response to movement of the one feed member from the first to the second position. 